Health insurance premiums are likely to climb sharply next year – and analysts say it’s the government’s fault.
Forecasts by the Comparis website suggest premiums for basic level insurance will certainly rise by 5% - but some could see a 10% increase.
The reason is twofold – health care costs last year will be up 7.3% when the rise was expected to be just over 1%.
Before the pandemic, the federal government demanded insurance companies reduce the reserves they were holding – amounting to several billion francs. That kept premiums artificially low – and even some people had their fees cut.
But now the reserves are too low and need to be built up again – which will be painful next year.